Char Siu Chicken (VIDEO)

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This easy and delicious authentic Char Siu Chicken is sweet, sticky and full of flavor. It's great for making ahead of time and serving with freshly steamed rice and vegetables!

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp brown Sugar
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp five spice powder
2 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 tbsp fermented bean curd + 1 tbsp bean curd liquid
½ tsp red gel food coloring

Glaze

2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Maltose
1/2 cup boiling hot water

Instructions

In a large bowl combine oyster sauce, light soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, kosher salt, five spice powder, Shaoxing wine, fermented bean curd and the liquid, and red gel food coloring. Mix until the marinade is smooth.
Add the chicken to the bowl and mix to cover completely in the marinade. Cover and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight for best results.
In a small bowl, mix together honey, maltose, and the boiling water. Mix until combined and set aside.
Line a baking sheet with foil, then place a wire rack on top. Lay the chicken down in a single layer on the rack, leaving at least ½ inch of space between each piece of chicken. Bake the chicken for 15 minutes, then flip the chicken and baste with the glaze. Continue baking for 10 more minutes, then turn the broiler on high and allow the chicken to caramelize for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

- Air Fryer: Alternatively, air fry at 400F for 5 minutes. Flip and baste with the excess marinade, then air fry for another 5 minutes until the charred and caramelized.

- To get the deep red color, it's a known secret that restaurants will use red gel food coloring. I recommend wearing disposable gloves when mixing the chicken in the marinade. (You can also skip using the gel food color but your chicken will not turn out the signature red color.)

- Depending on how large the chicken thigh is, you may need to adjust the time after the first flip until the chicken is cooked to 165F. I'll aim for a finished temperature of 160F so that the carryover heat with cook it to 165F while it is resting on the cutting board.

- Storage and Reheating - you can reheat the chicken in the microwave for 45 seconds - 1 minute until warm.

- You can marinate the chicken 24-48 hours before cooking - keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

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